Located about 30 km north of
Kolkata, on the banks of the
river Hooghly, the city of Chandannagar was a French colony from 1673 to 1952. Even though the city was under the possession of the English in 1757 and in 1794, it was restored to the French. In early days, Chandannagar was a center of trade. The crumbling buildings, formerly known as the Quai Duplexin and now the Strand, on the riverside, the Eglise du Sacre Coeur (which carries an image of Joan of Arc) and the 18th century mansion of the French administrator still remain as traces of the colonial rule. The mansion of the French administrator now houses the Institute de Chandannagar with a library, a French language school, and a museum of documents, antiques, and art and sculpture.
Nandadulal Mandir, built in the year 1740 by Indranarayan Roychowdhury at Lal Bagan is a striking example of Bengali architecture.
Chandannagar is famous for its celebrations of the Jagaddhatri Puja.
The G T Road (NH 2) from Howrah passes through Chandannagar. Frequent Suburban train services are available from Howrah Railway Station. The nearest airport is Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport.
